This invention relates generally to athletic training gear and rehabilitation equipment, and more particularly to a weight vest.
To improve fitness and/or improve functional ability, many people work out by participating in aerobic activities and weight training, as examples. Many athletes use weights in order to tone and develop muscles. Weights used for weight training range from free weights, including a bench press and dumbbell weights, to weight training stations. Resistance-type weights have electronic displays and adjustments. Recent weight designs include deformable weight bands that can be worn about the ankles or wrists.
Professional athletes work out, often on a daily basis, and tend to utilize more exotic training equipment than the average exerciser. Weighted clothing such as weight vests have been designed for use in athletic training, for example, in plyometric or jump training, which comprises explosive strength training that is used to increase lower extremity strength and agility. Runners, downhill skiers, football players, and other athletes benefit from adding weights to the body above the waist during a workout. Wearing a weight vest intensifies the workout and challenges the athlete""s performance.
Prior art weight clothing is not widely used because it is bulky and inconvenient to adorn or wear. Often the clothing includes weights that are loosely fitted to the wearer""s torso, so that during movement, the weights move about and can cause bruising and injury to the wearer, and also throw the athlete off balance. In some weight vest designs, weights are improperly placed on the wearer""s body, causing rubbing or chafing against the body, and restricting waist and upper body movement. In some designs, the weights easily fall off or slide out of retention devices.
Embodiments of the present invention achieve advantages as a weight vest in which weights are positioned within superior and inferior pockets on the front and back, close to the wearer""s body. The position of the weights vertically with respect to the wearer""s body is adjustable by a primary fastening system in a shoulder region of a front and back portion of the vest. A secondary fastening system may be used in addition to the primary fastening system to join the front and back portions of the vest. A belt having a superior lateral strap and an inferior lateral strap may be fastened to the back portion to accommodate a variety of torso girths, and is adapted to keep the weights inside the vest pockets pressed firmly against the wearer""s torso. A plurality of cylindrical weights may be placed vertically within sub-pockets of the pockets. The number of weights used within the vest may be varied according to the athletic ability and condition of the wearer.
In one embodiment, a weight vest includes a first portion having two shoulder regions extending upwardly therefrom, and a second portion removeably attached to the first portion. The second portion has two shoulder regions extending upwardly therefrom, and the first and second portions are adjustably attached at the shoulder regions so that the length of the first and second portions along a torso can be varied. At least one first pocket is disposed on the first portion, the first pocket being adapted to hold at least one weight. At least one second pocket is disposed on the second portion, the second pocket being adapted to hold at least one weight. A belt is coupled to the second portion and is adapted to extend around a wearer""s torso and attach to the first portion, wherein the first and second portions may be adjusted according to a wearer""s torso length at the shoulder region.
In another embodiment, a weight vest includes a front portion having two shoulder regions extending upwardly therefrom, and a back portion removeably attached to the front portion, the back portion having two shoulder regions extending upwardly therefrom. The back portion shoulder regions are longer than the front portion shoulder regions, and the front and back portions are attached at the shoulder regions. The weight vest includes a first fastening system coupled between the front and back portions between the shoulder regions, and a second fastening system disposed proximate the first fastening system adapted to couple the front and back portions together. A superior pocket is attached to the front portion proximate the shoulder regions, the superior pocket including a closeable flap. An inferior pocket is attached to the front portion disposed below the superior pocket, the inferior pocket including a closeable flap. A superior pocket is attached to the back portion proximate the shoulder regions, the superior pocket including a closeable flap. An inferior pocket is attached to the back portion disposed below the superior pocket, the inferior pocket including a closeable flap. A pocket closing device is coupled to the front and back portion superior and inferior pocket closeable flaps. A plurality of sub-pockets is disposed within the front and back portion superior and inferior pockets, each sub-pocket including a vertical chamber adapted to securely hold a cylindrical weight. A belt is coupled to the back portion adapted to extend around a wearer""s torso and attach to the front portion by a belt fastener, the belt comprising a superior lateral strap and an inferior lateral strap disposed beneath the superior lateral strap, wherein the first and second portions may be adjusted according to a wearer""s torso length at the shoulder region, wherein the belt holds the weight vest securely to a wearer""s torso.
In another embodiment, a method of making a weight vest includes providing a front portion and a back portion, the front portion and back portion each having two shoulder regions extending upwardly therefrom, sewing a superior pocket proximate the shoulder region and an inferior pocket below the superior pocket on the front portion, and sewing a superior pocket proximate the shoulder region and an inferior pocket below the superior pocket on the back portion. The method includes forming a plurality of sub-pockets within the front and back superior and inferior pockets, each sub-pocket having a chamber adapted to retain a single cylindrical weight. The method includes coupling the front portion to the back portion by a first fastening system at the shoulder region and by a second fastening system proximate the first fastening system, and coupling a belt to the back portion.
Another embodiment of the invention includes an athletic training vest, including a first portion having two shoulder regions extending upwardly therefrom, a second portion removeably attached to the first portion and having two shoulder regions extending upwardly therefrom. The first and second portions are adjustably attached at the shoulder regions so that the length of the first and second portions along a torso can be varied. At least one D-ring is coupled to at least one of the first and second portions, wherein the D-ring may be used to attach the vest to another person or object, for added resistance, over-speed training, and multiple plane resistance. A belt is coupled to the second portion adapted to extend around a wearer""s torso and attach to the first portion, wherein the first and second portions may be adjusted according to a wearer""s torso length at the shoulder region.
Advantages of embodiments of the present invention include a weight vest that is adjustable at the shoulder to accommodate various heights and torso lengths of people. The weights are cylindrical with tapered ends, and are positioned in the sub-pockets vertically, which prevents injury to the ribs in case of a fall. The weight vest may have a primary and secondary fastening system at the shoulder for connecting the first portion to the second portion, which is advantageous if either one of the primary or secondary fastening system is faulty. In one embodiment, the weights may be covered in rubber or painted to prevent corrosion, which is advantageous if the weight vest is used in aquatic training. The weight vest is easy to put on and may be easily adjusted to securely fit against the torso of the wearer.